System Of A Down – Boom!

Before going into details, we’ll have to use a drop C tuning to play this song (as for a lot of SOAD songs). To do that, it’s pretty easy.

– Tune all the strings down a whole step : D G C F A D

– Tune the low D string down another step : C G C F A D

To see if your guitar is in tune, play the low C and the high C strings altogether. You must hear no bad vibration because you’re playing the same note.

2. Tablature

This tab is based on my cover available on youtube. It’s strictly personnal, not official. Of course you can share it, but please quote the blog address or the url of my youtube channel to motivate me! The next parts will give you some helps to play this cover. (Guitar Pro version available on demand)

The verses are clearly the hardest parts of the song. Remember that the tempo is quite fast (155 bpm) and that this riff is played using sixteenth notes! Be sure to follow the beat correctly and work slowly at first if you’re not used to this speed. Also remember that you have to play it using palm-muting with your right hand.

If you take a look at the tab you’ll see that we have to play each segment in-between 4 frets. Here we have two solutions : either you play with one finger per fret (standard technique) or you can do as I play on the video but it implies quick changes. Each time I have to go to a higher string, I choose to change my left hand position and use my index finger instead of the ring finger. Why do I play it this way? Well it’s just a matter of personnal comfort. I know I won’t be clean enough using my ring finger and my pinky because of the speed, so I choose to use the index and the middle finger for the string change. If you don’t have any problem with your ring finger and pinky, feel free to use them and your hand won’t move (it could be easier for you that way).

To remember the fingerings, no problem! They are always the same, the hand moves but the fingers will keep on playing the same pattern. Just keep in mind the very first note of each pattern (C ; B ; D# and C#) and the fingers will do the rest!

4. Pre-Chorus

Now let’s have a look to the pre-chorus. This part (measures 11 to 16) is located just after the verse, so you’ll have to be very precise to reach the notes (around the 12th fret). Now if we look at the fingerings, no problem : we’ll have to work one finger per fret from the 12th to the 15th fret.

The beginning of the pre-chorus is based on a C powerchord turning into a diminished 5th (x-x-12-13-x-x). Play it using palm-muting as you do for verses.

The next part (measures 13 to 16th) is tricky. It sounds a bit as if you had two different guitars playing symbolised here by a red and a blue part.

The blue part has to be muted by the right hand. You also have to be careful because you end the red part on the A string, 13th fret (middle finger) and have to go to the C string, 15th fret (pinky) played muted. Be sure not to hear any bad noise, there is no interruption between the red and blue part.

5. Chorus

The chorus is quite simple. Measures 17 and 18 you can see your left hand will only be used to mute the strings. Be careful to play with the correct rythm : the ghost notes are very important, your right hand has to play quickly and precisely. The C powerchord has to be very powerful to follow the lyrics. (BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!)

The second part of the chorus is just composed of two powerchords : C# and C (measures 19 to 22). Don’t forget to play the low C string with the C powerchord to give more strength!

6. Break

Here is the easiest part of the song! Just powerchords played with one finger. This part is very slow and heavy.

To give even more power to this part I added on the tab and the video a higher octave on some of the powerchords.

Here is an explanation of this technique. The red part is the core of the chord : you have the A note and the E note on C and G strings. Now if you look at the blue part, it’s the same! Generally we play the three low strings (in this case A-E-A) : a powerchord with 2 otcaves. The idea us to add another 5th (E) on the F string. By this way you’re playing two different octaves at the same time : the red one AND the blue one. It’s just as if you were playing two different guitars at the same time!

7. Outro

The ending of the song is simply another chorus. But at the very end you play it on a lower octave up the neck (measures 68 and 69). I used the same technique as I did in the break : I add a higher octave on the F string, by this way you have a very deep and powerful sound for the very last seconds of the song.

8. Conclusion

I trully hope I helped you to learn this song. Feel free to give feedback!

If you have any question, feel free to contact me through comments and I will adapt the article according to your needs. I also remind you that the tab is made according to my personnal arrangement, please quote the blog address if you want to share it!